College offering ag workshops

Surry Community College has many agricultural course and workshop offerings throughout the year with three exciting workshops taking place in September.

Harvest Operations will be the topic of a workshop on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join the class for a day of harvest operations and first-hand experience in what it takes to make a bottle of wine. Students will pick fruit from the vineyard and process it in the winery. The class will meet in Room 113 of the Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture & Enology, Surry Community College, 630 S. Main St., Dobson and then move to the college’s vineyard for hands-on practice. Advance registration and payment of $25 are required.

High Tunnel Greenhouse for the Home or Farm will be the topic of a workshop that will meet on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the front lobby of The Pilot Center, 612 East Main St., Pilot Mountain. The training will then take place at the high tunnel adjacent to The Pilot Center. This workshop is appropriate for anyone considering greenhouse produce production or for existing greenhouse growers wanting to learn new techniques. Special topics will include irrigation options, heating and cooling techniques and planting practices. Advance registration and payment of $20 are required.

Vineyard Cover Cropping Strategies will be discussed in a workshop on Friday, Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 113 of the Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture & Enology, Surry Community College, 630 S. Main St., Dobson. Learn how to manage water, nutrients and erosion with cover crops. Perennial and annual cover cropping methods are essential in NC vineyards, and application timing is crucial. Advance registration and payment of $20 are required.